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The following is an appeal for justice by Alma Q.
Kern, national chairman, National Federation of Filipino American
Associations (NAFFAA). She succeeded a good common friend, Loida
Nicolas-Lewis. Alma testified on February 15, 2007, in the US House
of Representatives, as follows:
“I thank you, Congressman
Filner and all members of the Veterans Affairs Committee, for this
historic hearing on the Filipino Veterans Equity Bill of 2007.
“I am deeply honored to speak
on behalf of the National Federation of Filipino-American
Associations. Founded 10 years ago, our Federation aims to empower
the 12.4-million Filipinos in America to become active participants
and leaders in all aspects of US Society. The Filipino population is
among the fastest growing ethnic groups in the country today, with
one of the highest naturalization rates and a 76-percent nationwide
voter turnout. We have significant concentrations of
Filipino-Americans in almost every congressional district throughout
the nation. I do not exaggerate when I say that there is a Filipino
in every town and city in the United States—each one contributing
significantly to the political, cultural, commercial and social life
of this country.
“I am here before you today
partly as the daughter of a World War II veteran. My father and four
uncles survived the brutalities of the war, the Bataan Death March,
the concentration camps, malaria, typhoid, and dysentery. They have
now passed on, but their bravery and their pride as soldiers have
not been forgotten by us, their children and grandchildren. I owe it
to them and all their comrades, the valiant Filipinos who risked
their lives for the sake of freedom and democracy to stand before
you today and appeal to you, our honorable legislators, to correct a
tragic error of omission, and give the Filipino veterans the dignity
and the recognition they deserve.
“The second reason I am here
today is due to a promise I made as NAFFAA’s national chair to
continue the struggle for the passage of the equity bill [for
Filipino WWII veterans]. Since NAFFAA was born ten years ago, it has
worked closely with Filipino veterans groups and community advocates
to press Congress to rescind a grievous error in judgment, a
betrayal, a deception, called the Rescission Act of 1946, but
Congress to this day, more than 60 years after victory was won, has
not responded favorably.
“I am here before you today,
representing thousands of Filipino Americans who believe that the
veterans equity issue is a matter of honor and dignity not just for
our veterans but for the whole Filipino American community! In
Seattle, where I live, I see our World War II veterans living in
substandard conditions, lonely for their children and grandchildren
and waiting patiently for the equity bill to pass so that they can
go home. For example, Benito Valdez, 83 years old and Julian
Nicolas, 85 years old, two of the last three remaining Filipinos who
helped in the great raid that rescued 600 American and Canadian
prisoners of war in the Cabanatuan garrison camp, live in my beloved
state of Washington. These two gallant warriors, silent in their
anguish and disappointment, cannot understand what is taking
Congress so long to correct and fulfill a broken promise.
“Together with the members of
the NAFVE, I am asking you our legislators to search deep into your
conscience and correct this injustice.
“NAFFAA and its partners in
NAFVE will not give up the fight for justice and equity. We will
continue year after year after year, because my generation will
never be at peace with ourselves if we do not tell the story of a
betrayal. We will do it because we still believe that this great
country called America is still the beacon of justice and fairness
in the free world. And the time is finally here to show the whole
world that this country does not forget the bravery of those who
fought for its freedom.
“[We] hope that you will act
honorably on our message—that the Filipino World War II veterans
have been treated unfairly by the United States during the past 61
years. We also ask the American people to support our veterans’
cause as this is an American issue that cries out for American
justice.”
Alma is a younger sister of my
ever-loving wife.
Incidentally, to correct or
complete what I said last week, Ed Angara attended Michigan; Ting
Paterno, Harvard; and Manang Letty, Wellesley, Columbia and
Sorbonne.
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